bath-time!

EmJ definitely loves bath time! She was sitting in her little bath until recently - I just hadn't thought about switching her to the big bath. We did finally switch her and she loves it! It makes me laugh how much she enjoys taking a bath. She doesn't even mind water on her face... she just closes her eyes and waits for it to be over, then flashes that super cute grin. Of course she loves the wash cloth (as you can see) and always wants to be chewing on it. This makes for some difficulty when it's time to be washed cause she just wants to grab at it! :o) It is just so fun to watch her learn and discover all these new things! The other day Jeff was holding the washcloth and letting the water drip in front of EmJ. It was so funny to watch her try to grab the water... I could almost hear her, "Why can't I hold this?!" She's the greatest!

I know it's been awhile since I posted a blog - you all know how crazy life can get! But, pictures are downloaded, so I'll be posting another one soon!

just growin'!

EmJ is getting so big! Just the other day, Jeff and I were looking at her playing and were just shocked at how big she's getting! On one hand, I love seeing her discover new things everyday and all the smiles that come with her new discoveries... but on the other hand, I wish she could just stay her little baby-self forever! She is super curious about everything and will grab and anything within her reach (including the camera, as you can see!)

Of course, EmJ is super stylish also! Her hair is long enough now to be put up (a little)... We put it up the other day and it was so cute cause she had a couple little curls just sticking straight up! I tried to get a picture that would show it, which wasn't too easy... this is the best we could do!

EmJ is really starting to get her own little personality and it is so fun to watch! However, she has quite the stubborn streak, and definitely knows what she wants. Which ends up making for some frustration on both

our parts cause she knows what she wants, but can't tell us... she's just so darn cute though, and just smiles at you and you forget the whole thing! She does this new thing now where if she's done playing with a toy, she'll throw it out of her reach and then get mad about it. It's pretty funny, if you ask me!

She's not crawling yet, but has mastered reaching as far as her little body will let her while she's sitting up... I'm thinking crawling is right around the corner... we'll keep you posted!

So here she is... getting bigger and more adorable with each passing moment!

go jayhawks!

EmJ is definitely a Kansas Jayhawks fan... and here are some pictures to prove it!

She loves to play with this basketball, when daddy shares it with her! :o) She also does her fair share of cheering for the Jayhawks - as seen in this picture. Even though Jeff and I don't really agree when it comes to football, we definitely do when it comes to basketball - and EmJ is right there with us... lovin' those Jayhawks!

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK... GO KU!!!

our little fan...

Here she is... our little football fan! That's right - she's both a Chiefs and a Broncos fan! :o) I think everyone can agree that she's the cutest thing ever - in whatever she's wearing!

Christmas!!!

EmJ's first Christmas was an absolute blast! I think Jeff and I were a little more excited for her first Christmas than she was, but she enjoyed it just the same!

We woke up Christmas morning and EmJ opened presents - or at least tried to! I helped her and she would tear the paper, but then just wanted to eat it. I'd have to say she was much more interested in the paper than the presents themselves, but we had a great time! And look - she even got some super cute Christmas pj's from her great-Auntie Mary and Uncle Randy. Present time was fun for Jeff and Maren too - we both got some pretty fun stuff. Jeff even got me a ticket to Oklahoma so EmJ and I can visit our best friends Kimmi, Chloe, and Ireland (and Chris too!)

After present time in the morning, we went to my parent's house for our annual Christmas brunch. EmJ had a fun time just being her cute little self...

Once brunch was over and we'd hung out for a little bit, we headed down to Aurora to do Christmas with Jeff's family. Aunt Stacey was staying with us over Christmas weekend, and EmJ loved being able to spend some time with her. Grandma Chuck and Grandpa Greg were also here - and of course EmJ loved being with them too! There were a lot of people in Aurora that EmJ got to hang out with. Kaylea and Micah have a Great Dane named Moses who EmJ just adored... as you can see, they became instant friends! :o)

Overall... EmJ's first Christmas was fantastic for all!

EmJ's First Blizzard!

That's right... EmJ got to experience her first Colorado blizzard!
And yes, the snow is definitely over her head!

It started snowing Tuesday night, but wasn't too bad Wednesday morning. It just kept coming down and Jeff ended up coming home around 2 on Wednesday. EmJ and I stayed home all day on Wednesday and needless to say, we all stayed home Thursday. It didn't stop snowing until Thursday around noon... let's just say there is a LOT of snow! The wind has been nuts, so the drifts have been the craziest part of this storm. I think it snowed close to 2 feet around here, but some drifts are 3 or more feet. Since we live in a townhouse, the HOA shovels for us, so we don't own a snow shovel (I know, we live in Colorado - we're buying one now!). Anyway, Jeff used a dustpan to shovel a little of our porch off - mainly around the grill so he could make some food! Ha ha! It's been quite an adventure these last couple of days. We're hoping to make it out of the house tomorrow - I think EmJ and I are both ready to get out of here!

Looks like we'll be having a white Christmas!

:o)

EmJ-Bo-BemJ

It's a crazy, snowy, blizzardy day outside in our fabulous state of Colorado... a great day to post a new blog! EmJ is wonderful, as usual. She gets cuter everyday (something you never think is possible until you see her tomorrow) and she makes us laugh - often! She got this super cute cowgirl outfit from Aunt Nance and the whole Alcos family. I think it's one of the cutest outfits I've ever seen!

It seems like EmJ learns new things daily. It's fun to watch her figure things out and get so excited when she does. The other day we were at my parent's house and EmJ was banging her hands on her thighs (she does this often - my mom is convinced she'll be a drummer) and my dad was cracking up at her. She'd stop and giggle with him, but once he stopped laughing, she would start banging those hands again. It was hilarious! I love that she knows when she's making people laugh! She makes silly faces too... I don't think she does that to make us laugh - but it sure does! And, as you can tell, she constantly has her tongue sticking out. She's so great!!!

Of course EmJ loves to read - just like her mom! :o) We read to her often, and she has her own books she loves!

On one of the previous blogs I wrote about EmJ and her fabulous "Jumperoo," so I figured I'd include a picture for you all. :o) She still loves it!

We have a pretty crazy, but fun week ahead of us. EmJ's best friend, Chloe, and her sister Ireland (and their mom, Kimmi, who is Maren's best friend and their dad, Chris) are all here from Oklahoma, so we'll be hanging out with them lots. Then aunt Stacey comes and Grandma Chuck and Grandpa Greg... and it's Christmas! I'm super excited for EmJ's first Christmas - we'll put up a new blog with lots of fun pictures soon! Hope everyone has a fabulous and safe Christmas and New Year!!!

turkey day!

EmJ's First Thanksgiving... As you can see, EmJ definitely enjoyed her first Thanksgiving! :o) We went to EmJ's Uncle Ken and Auntie Amy's house to enjoy the feast. EmJ had a fabulous time playing and just hanging out. She is our little turkey, so this was the perfect outfit and perfect day for her! More EmJ news to come soon...

the coolest baby around...

EmJ is almost 6 months already! We've been to the doctor for her 6 month check-up and she's almost 17 pounds and is 26.5 inches long! She's in the 75th percentile for her weight and the 90th for her height! She's definitely taking after her daddy in the height area - and Jeff couldn't be more proud!

We've recently made a new purchase for EmJ - it's called a "Jump-A-Roo" and it's basically a Johnny Jump-Up with a stand (instead of a door frame since we don't really have those!) :o) She absolutely ADORES it! Mom loves it too cause EmJ will jump, jump, jump and keep herself quite entertained for awhile. Jeff wasn't opposed to this new toy cause he thinks it's never to early to get started jumping!
EmJ got to go swimming for the first time just a few days ago. We went with her boyfriend, Nate (and his mom, Crystle - Maren's friend), and they had a blast! We'll have to go again with the dad's so we can get pictures of them in the pool together. She loved the water - I figured she would cause she really enjoys bath time!
We just can't get enough of this adorable little girl we get to call our own. She never fails to make me laugh - and she's now at the point where she knows if she does something that makes us laugh and she'll just do it over and over again. But hey, if something we do makes her laugh - you better believe we'll do it over and over! She's the greatest!!!

happy halloween!

EmJ's First Halloween...

I think we'd all agree that she's the cutest pumpkin around!

And of course being the fashion diva she is, she also had an outfit to wear during the day!


Earlier today we went to Jeff's work to show EmJ off in her costume. Honestly, she wasn't a big fan of the pumpkin costume... but she sure did look awesome!

Later tonight we went to the church for the Halloween party and EmJ slept through most of it... Being so darn cute all the time must get exhausting! :o)

I must say that I think EmJ, aka "The Great Pumpkin," (at least to Jeff, aka Daddy, that is) had a fabulous first Halloween!!!

5 months and lovin' every minute!

That's right... EmJ turned the big 5 months on October 26th and we are all lovin' every minute! Sometimes the love I have for her just overwhelms me - and it's amazing how each day I seem to love her more when yesterday I didn't think that was possible. We are so blessed.

As you can see, EmJ is grabbing at her toes and seems to think they are the most interesting things ever - especially when she's getting her diaper changed! Which does make it a little more difficult, but we manage. :o) She also really enjoys tummy time now. Before she tolerated it because mom made her, but now she likes it and will play on her tummy for a long time. She's also getting the hang of the rolling over thing, so she' ll just go where she wants to go! EmJ is also now eating oatmeal and can't get enough. She "mmmm's" the entire time she's eating and just loves it!

This weekend Jeff's mom, "Grandma Chuck" came out to visit so EmJ had lots and lots of fun with her... and of course was a little (or a lot) spoiled! But hey, that's what grandmas are for, eh?! Grandma Chuck especially enjoyed taking EmJ outside to see the big wide world.

Of course EmJ is already a HUGE KU fan... and she's the cutest KU fan EVER - at least that's what we think! Thanks to Kir and Mike for her awesome outfit! :o)

Being parents has been such an incredible experience so far... and Jeff and I just can't wait to see what else God has in store. It just never fails to amaze me how such a tiny thing can bring so much joy (and sometimes craziness) into our lives.

One of my most favorite things is to watch Jeff and EmJ play together. They are just so adorable and love each other so much! She is definitely a daddy's girl and I love it. When Jeff comes home from work it doesn't matter what EmJ was doing, all she cares about then is seeing her daddy - and of course he loves this and all he wants to do is see her too (and maybe say hi to me)! It just melts my heart to see them together and I love that EmJ gets to have the fantastic father-daughter relationship like I have with my dad. Jeff always gets EmJ ready for bed and plays with her while getting her jammies on. The other night I got to capture some of that fun time so I thought I'd share with you all too. It's things like this that remind me how fabulous my life is... and how I wouldn't trade it for anything.

the everyday joys...

Well... I figured it's been long enough without a new blog for you all... so here we are. EmJ is as incredible as ever and we just can't seem to get enough of her laughs and smiles. I think that's how it's supposed to be. :o) As the title says, the everyday joys are just the best. It's funny how the littlest things make us so excited... As you can see, EmJ experienced her very first snow... today! She was quite a good sport when we bundled her up and took her outside to take pictures. There were a few with her tongue out (for those of you who know her well, you know that's not weird- her tongue is ALWAYS out!), but I think she was trying to catch snowflakes this time!

Some other everyday joys... EmJ got her first taste of rice cereal a couple weeks ago. She did okay with it, but wasn't too keen on the idea as a whole. So, we waited and tried again last night. She LOVED it! It's funny to watch because she opens her mouth for it and almost sucks it right off the spoon, but she's still figuring out how to swallow it, so that tongue always makes an appearance. She definitely likes it though, she was whining when I didn't put it in fast enough!

EmJ has recently figured out how to grab her exersaucer toys and bring them to her mouth. And of course, proceed to chew and suck on them til the break of dawn! She is also mastering the "tri-pod sit" where she spreads her legs and puts her hands down in front of her for balance and sits up! I don't think it will be long until she's just sitting on her own! Sheesh!!! Right now, the boppy is her best friend cause it helps her stay up. She'd be the Leaning Tower of EmJ without it.

This has been a big week for EmJ - getting rice cereal on a regular basis, her first snow, and YES... she's done it... she rolled from her back to her tummy!!! Quite the feat because it takes some abs! Woo-hoo! This just goes back to how funny it is at how excited we get. EmJ and I were just hanging out today and she was laying on her back, just playing. She kept getting up on her side (nothing new, really) and after awhile I thought, "she's gonna do it!" And just a few seconds later... FLOP! You would have thought I won the lottery if you were here... I was clapping and cheering and telling EmJ how great she was! All the while, she was just looking at me wondering how she got on her belly cause she knew I hadn't put her there. We tried to get her to do it again tonight for her daddy. Of course she would come extremely close, but just not quite do it again. She's a teaser... wonder where she got that?! (Probably from her Papa!) It's a little crazy to think she's doing this now because it won't be long at all and she'll be rolling all over!

EmJ got to get all dressed up for church the other day in a very special outfit. She wore this red dress which her Auntie Amy, her mom, and her cousin Janae all wore as little babies. I think EmJ is wearing it much earlier than any of the others... she's well fed! :o) She looked so darn cute and she even got to wear her awesome cowboy boots with it! (Thanks Grandma Chuck and Grandpa Greg!)

It's those everyday joys... gotta love 'em.

14 pounds 15 ounces... 24.5 inches... 4 MONTHS!!!

That's right... our fabulous EmJ is now 4 months old! On one hand, I can't believe she's 4 months already - time really does fly. And on the other hand, I can't believe she's only been here 4 months cause I don't reallly remember life without her!!! :o)

EmJ is the most wonderful baby and she just doesn't ever cease to amaze us, make us laugh, or make us smile from ear to ear. She's getting so big! We went to the doctor yesterday and she's 14 pounds, 15 ounces and 24.5 inches long. She gets more beautiful every single day and we just can't get enough! EmJ is at such a great age right now... she is all smiles, giggles, coos, and laughs. Her laughter is becoming more of a regular thing and I think it's my most favorite part of being a mom... hearing that hilarious belly laugh. She has discovered herself in the mirror and of course she thinks she is the most gorgeous baby there is! She loves looking at herself and "whole-body smiling" at that super cute baby in the mirror!

Jeff just couldn't get enough of EmJ when she was wearing her little pink beanie. This "ooo" face is one of her favorite faces to make right now. I know we're biased over here - but she is down right ADORABLE! She is getting very close to rolling over from her back to her tummy. She gets herself up on her side pretty well so it won't be long. She is constantly grabbing at toys and trying to bring them to her mouth. It's so fun to watch because every day I see her hand-eye coordination get better and better. She's also become a fantastic sleeper! She sleeps through the night like a pro (thanks to some help from a book by Dr. Ferber!) and I am definitely glad for the sleep!

For those of you wondering about Jeff and Maren... Jeff just got a super promotion and he's now the IT Manager. It's pretty great! I (Maren, silly) am teaching just 2 days a week for a home-school program. I love that I get to teach and EmJ gets to hang out with her auntie and nana, so I don't have to worry at all. Maverick (our cat) is also doing well - adjusting to EmJ and all that. She's just starting to notice him, so that's pretty fun. Things are amazing for the Miller family... we just couldn't be happier!

Stay tuned... EmJ should be starting rice cereal soon, so I'm sure we'll have a messy-faced EmJ blog very soon! :o)

3 months... you betta believe it!

That's right... she's 3 months old now! Sheesh... I can't believe how fast it all goes! Everyone tells you that time just flies, but you never understand it until you have a little one who changes so incredibly much. EmJ is an absolute joy in our lives. She loves to smile and talk, talk, talk. Her new favorite thing is to "sing" along when we sing to her. I'll sing to her and she'll just stare at me and ooo and coo along. It's one of my favorite things too!

My mom always said that once babies hit 3 months they really start to hit a bunch of milestones... which definitely seems to be the case for EmJ already. She recently discovered that she can bring her hands together - so cute how the most random things can be so great for us parents! She is also smacking at and playing with toys held in front of her face. It seems like every single day she does it even more! She's also starting to love sucking on her fists, which just makes me laugh cause let me tell you, it's not a quiet sort of new hobby. :o)

EmJ recently had her first full days away from mom. I'm sure it was much harder for me than it was for her!! I'm working (I do get to teach... yea!!!) just 2 days a week, so she gets to hang out with her Auntie Amy (and cousins Janae and Jonah) one day and her Nana (and Papa) the other day. She did great both days (such a good thing to hear) and Amy and my mom loved having her. I think Jonah loved having her too! He just adores her - he was making up songs the other day and Amy told me she was laughing and smiling. They definitely love each other... too cute!

For those of you wondering... EmJ has been laughing more and more! She hasn't quite repeated the first belly laugh (at least not the the extent it was that first time), but she sure does like to giggle. The funniest part to me is that when we do crazy things to try to make her laugh she just looks at us like we're, well, crazy. Ha! It's the random silly little things we do that seem to get the laughter. She's so funny!

EmJ is getting quite the little personality now and it's so fun to watch! As I've said before, she's pretty stubborn... but look at her parents - we had no chance! :o) She likes to talk and sing and just be with people she loves. She also loves to ham it up for people - especially strangers. And boy, do people love her! Well, just look at her... who wouldn't love this girl?!

Being parents has been such an amazing thing for Jeff and me both. EmJ is a fabulous blessing in our lives... it's something we never could have imagined. It's so crazy to me that she's only been here 3 months... I can't really remember life without her! I just adore this picture of EmJ and her daddy... my 2 favorite people... we are so blessed.

the best medicine...

Laughter, of course!!! EmJ laughed... and I'm not kidding, people... truly LAUGHED about a week ago. This was no chuckle, my friends, this was a full-blown belly laugh! And what provoked this hysteria from our little one, you ask? Well, let me tell you...

It was bath time, one of EmJ's favorite times, and we were all just having fun. Jeff (or should I say Daddy?) decided to get out the rubber duckies we have. Someone had given us a ducky family, if you will, with 2 small ducks and 1 big pirate duck. I don't remember who (sorry!), but we love them! Anyway, Jeff gets the ducks out and takes a small one and squeezes it to get some water in it. He squirts the water out on EmJ and then "the duck" quacks at her. Super bath time fun... she gets a huge grin and then... out it comes! A LAUGH!!! Jeff and I look at each other (and high five!) and he does it again. We sit on the edge of our seats, hoping, hoping, hoping she does it again... and she DOES! She smiled and then laughed! Real belly laughter coming from our fabulous little girl! This went on for probably 5 minutes. Jeff and I were laughing along with her (how could we not?!) and I honestly had tears rolling down my face from laughing so hard. I told Jeff to just keep making her laugh while I went to get the video camera. I ran as fast as I could down the stairs and back up with the camera. She laughed a little once it was on, but of course wouldn't allow the hilarious belly-laugh to be heard on camera! We were glad to get a little of it on tape, but it doesn't do the laughter justice.

And of course, here we are over a week later and has she laughed that hard again? Of course not. I think she enjoys watching us make complete fools of ourselves doing any and everything we can think of to make her laugh. Oh, she'll amuse us once in a while and giggle a little, but no, no no... none of that cracking up! I'm sure she'll do it again soon... we are funny, I promise! :o)